Poker is a game that is played between a group of players in which the highest hand wins. It is a fast-paced game and players must decide whether to bet, call or check depending on their cards and the other player’s bets. There is considerable skill involved in this game, and the most successful players are those who know how to play their cards.

The game is started by putting 2 mandatory bets called blinds into the pot by the players to the left of the dealer. This makes sure that there are always enough chips in the pot to play for. The players then receive their two hole cards and a round of betting starts.

After the bets are made the dealers puts three more community cards on the table face up, which is called the flop. There is another round of betting and the player with the highest card wins the pot.

A four of a kind is any four cards of the same rank. A flush is any five cards of the same suit in no particular sequence. A straight is five cards in consecutive rank but from more than one suit. A pair is any two cards of the same rank and in the event of a tie the highest pair wins. If no high pair is made then the winnings are shared. Using this information, players can then make decisions on how to play their hands and on who they want to bluff against.